Endeavor Health, Illinois’ third-largest health system, is pleased to announce the expansion of its memory care program thanks to generous philanthropic support from Knight Impact Partners. The new pilot program will target underserved communities in Evanston and the north side of Chicago to reduce the social, emotional and financial burdens patients and families often face when seeking diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
“We’re deeply grateful for the support from Knight Impact Partners. Their generosity will enable our memory care model to address the health inequities faced by patient populations in our region who are at higher risk for major neurocognitive disorders, like Alzheimer’s disease,” said Sean O’Grady, President of Acute and Ambulatory Operations at Endeavor Health.
“Our goal is to become a trusted source for timely diagnosis and personalized care plans, connecting patients and families to vital community resources throughout their memory care journey,” he continued.
“Knight Impact Partners believes everyone should have access to quality healthcare,” said Lester and Becky Knight. “We are excited to be partnering with Endeavor Health to expand their memory care program which will bring new resources to communities with the highest risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Addressing a need
Endeavor Health’s innovative care model will bring together a specialized team of neurologists, advanced practice providers, neuropsychologists and social workers to provide comprehensive care to patients and caregivers through increased access to services, additional diagnosis and treatment options, and coordinated care navigation.
This unique program expands Endeavor Health’s established program based at Endeavor Health Glenbrook Hospital and will include Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital and Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, where a study found that of the patients who had a documented memory issue, fewer than 30% went on to see an Endeavor Health memory physician or advanced practice provider. Among minority patients in that region, Hispanic/Latino and Asian patients had significantly lower rates of scheduling a memory clinic visit following a documented memory issue.
Endeavor Health’s program will work to increase awareness of memory care in the community by hiring a community health worker as part of the care team. The community health worker will leverage and strengthen relationships with community groups to increase awareness of the program. A new Patient and Family Advisory Group will provide feedback and help shape the program as it moves through additional phases across the Endeavor Health service region.
The memory care program will also subsidize diagnostic testing for patients with lower incomes who meet specific criteria. This would include, among other things, a new blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Subsidizing this testing will remove financial barriers to early identification of disease for at-risk populations.
For more information, visit https://www.endeavorhealth.org/services/neurosciences-institute/specialties.
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To learn more about the Endeavor Health memory care program, please contact Danielle Maihofer, Director of Philanthropy, at danielle.maihofer@endeavorhealth.org or (224) 364-7614.